Coates: Some Words Don’t Belong to Everyone

A real question, a real response.

Asked at a book talk by a white college student if she and her friends have the right to use the n-word when singing along to hip-hop songs that use it, Coates explains why some words don’t belong to everyone. Words’ meaning are socially constructed. The social construction of words must be considered when an individual chooses to utter them. These are not easy conversations to have. But they are necessary, taking courage to ask and courage to answer honestly.